Automatic control mechanism for vehicles.



BEST AVAKLABLE COP" L. s CHADWICK I AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26,1915- 3 51,639. Patented Jan. 1,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 4

L. S. CHADWICK AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.19I5.

1,251,639, Patented Jan. 1,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- L. s. CHADWICK,

AUTOMATIC CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FI LED AUG.26. l9l5- 1,251,639. Patented Jan. 1,1918.

3 SHEETS*SHEBT 3 BEST AVAlLABLE cos El N lTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE S. CHADWICK, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL llllliECHANISIVI FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed August 26, 1915.

To all whom. iii/may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE S. CirAowIcK, a citizen of the United States, residing at East (llevelanthin the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Iriiprovement in Automatic Control Mechanism for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descripion, reference being had .to the accompanymg drawings.

This invention relates to an autoi-natlc control mechanism for vehicles, especially self-propelled vehicles; and it has for its object to provide mechanism involving a guard or bumper that is yieldingly supported from a vehicle beyond the front. or advancing end thereof and that is operatively connected to eitheror both the pro polling mechanism and steering gear of the vehicle so that upon the engagement of the bumper with "an obstacle, the propelling mechanism will be rendered ineffective and the vehicle stopped, or the steering gear will be automatically actuated to-divert the vehicle from its former course and avoid collision. V

To better understand the utility of my invention. an example will be made of a case wherein the use of the invention would save vehicles from damage and the occupants thereof from danger of injury. Takethe ease of two automobilists trying to pass each other while going in opposite directions and running their machines so close together that the hub of their front wheels engage.

This is very often done, and the inevital'ileresult is that the front wheels of each machine will be forcibly turned toward the other, regardless of the efforts of the driver to hold the. steering wheel steady, and the seriousness of the accident .depends upon the speed. at which the machines were running.

it the. hub of the front or steering wheel of a vehicle strikes any obstacle, it results in the. vehicle being turned toward that ohstacle, greatly increasing the damaging effect of the collision.

in the case of a self-propelled vehicle colliding with a person or another vehicle, especially a vehicle of lighter weight, before the driver can possibly get his vehicle under Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 1, 1918.

Serial No. 47,417.

control, it has passed over the pedestrian or has done considerable damage to the vehicle with which it has collided.

It is the'primary object of my invention, therefore, to provide control mechanism for vehicles that is actuated by a bumper, to stop or deflect the vehicle, should the bumper engage an obstacle located in the-pathof the vehicle. v t

A further and very important object of my invention is to incorporate, in the foregoin mechanism, means for normally holding the steering wheel of the vehicle in a po will become apparent as this description proceeds, are attained in mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein Figure 1 1s a. plan view of the forward part of an automobile chassis having the combined bumper and automatic steering mechanism of my in vention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3. go

is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, while Fig. 4 is a detail on the correspondingly numbered line of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 andifi' arey views, similar to Fig.1, of a. modifiedform of my invention, Fig. 5 showing the mecha' msm in normal fiposition, and F1 6, the mechanism as a ected by one en of the bumper striking an obstacle; Fig. 7 is a detail on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a. diagrammatic representation of a selfpropelled vehicle equipped with my control mechanism, in this embodiment of my invention the mechanism servin r to divert the machinefrom its course shou d the end oi" the. bumper engage an obstruction, while the same will act to automatically stop the vehiele, should the bumper strilrc an obstruc- I tion at about its middle.

east AVAlLABLE CO in l i to 7 l have illustrated a modified form of my invention wherein the bumper pivot-ally connected to the cross member 3] of a frame that is sup ported beyond the frontend of the vehicle In this modification each ofthe rearu-"ardlv extending arms 34 of the steering knuckles 35, that are pivoted to the ends of the axle lfi have clamped to them special arms 3? that are operatively connected to the lnunper through the adjustable links having the turnbuekles 39. The rear ends of the arms Stare connected by the knuckle bar 4-0, and in the present case, the steering-apparatus ii is connected to the knuckle bar-by a link 42. Upon reciprocation of the link 42, the knuckle bar will be" 'moved laterally to swing the arms 34 and steering knuckles 35 to effect the steering of the machine through the wheels 45. V

lhe cross member 31 of the frame 32'is slotted at for the accommodation of the bolt l-T whereby the bumper 30"is pivotally connected to the aforesaid frame. Thebumper retained forward with the bolt 47 51 that. bear against the web of the channel shaped bumper 30. said bolts having thread-1' ed extensions 52 that project through aper I bumper may be' moved rearwa'rdly. It is tnres in the web of the bumper and receive lock nuts whereby the bolts are held For the convenience of: turning the bolts. their exposed ends are prov 1 screws-85 thatarethreadedthrough blocks 86,0arried by the. vehicle frame.'- Each end against turning.

vided with grooves 54 for the application of a screwdriver. By turning the screws, the followers 49 are adjusted longitudinally thereof to vary the tension of the springs By this means. the bumper may be t 48. rocked with respect to the frame. 32 to. acquire thopropcr normal position thereof, and the bumper may be adjusted with respect to the steering gear of the vehicle by 1 means of the turn buckles 39.

lhe action of this form of iny invention 7 is exactly the as the former modification and is illustrated in Fig. 6 where the right hand end of the bumper is shown as having engaged an obstruction A. It is shown as having turned the stecringwhecls of tlir-aehiele away from the bstruction so that turther advance movement of the veinrle will. cause it to entirely clear the obstruction. as indicated by the dotted line o(l. her the bump r has passed the obstruction. the springs 48 will a t. to return it to normal pos tion. and righ T the vehicle.

in Fig. 8 l have shown diagrammatically a, sel'l-piu-lh-d vehi le or tractor that is driven by a mot r 30 through the usual norirand worm gear inclosed by the. casing l at ii is operatively connected to the rear of apair of sprin batteries for supplying current to the motor are shown diagrammatically at 64, and a controller for varying the speed of the mo tor, at 65. One end of the armature shaft is provided 'with brake drum 66 that. is

' arranged to be engaged by a brake shoe 67 that is carried by a rocking beam 68, pivoted between brackets 69 which rise from the platform 7 O. A spring 71 tends to apply the shoe G7 forcibly to the drum to stop the motor, but this action is resisted by an electromagnet 72, the armature of which is shown as formed by the enlarged end 73 of the rocking beam 68. Tl1e magnet 72 is ineluded in the motor circuit so that whenthe circuit is closed, the brake shoe, 67 is released. The circuit may be' easily traced through the wires 74,jand the circuit is interrupted atone rplac'elfor' the introduction that is carried on the rear occupying the front of the slot- 46, by springs i I The forwardend of thelod, reposes, 4-8 that are interposed between the cross member 1, and followers 49 that are thread: t

ed upon bolts 50.. These bolts have collars] normally, practically": in.) contact with" the rear side of thecentral portion of a bumper 80, that is pivotallyconnected "to an extension 81 of the vehicle'frame' The bumper is shown asslotted, where it is connected, by the bolt 82, to the extension 81,'soj that the retainediin its forwardposition bv' springs 83 ithat are interposed between the bumper and adjustable bearing plates 84, carried by of the bumper is connected to one of the steering knuckles 87, through theisections 88 and 89 of connecting links each section 89 being turned laterally at its forward end and perforated to'receive the threaded rear end of the section 88, A nut 90 is applied to each section 88 so t at, 'under normal conditions, when the bumper is forward, the nuts are in engagement with the lateral extensions of the sections 89. It will be seen from this construction that when the right, hand end of the bumper 80 is forced rearwardly, the opposite eqd will be thrust forwardly by reason ofthe pivotal connection of the bumper with the vehicle frame, and:

this will result in the rearwardly extending arm of the left hand steering knuckle 87 be ing turned inward and the arm of the other steering knuckle being turned outward through thoknucklc bar 92 (which, it will he observed, has connection with the steering apparatus 93, through the link 94).

I p contacts, v75 that are adapted to be: bridged by a blockflcontact 76 lherelore, the steering wheels of the vohk ('10. will be turned to divert its course away tron: the. obstruction, as in the former cases; This one (llShlIlCl'lOll Wlll be noted, however,

that in the present case, the effective connection between the bumper and the steering gear is one which resists a pull only, and not a thrust as was thecase in the former modifications.

By reason of the peculiar connection between the bumper andthe steering apparatus, the bumper may be moved rearward'ly bodily without affecting the steering gear because of the fact that the sections 88 of the connecting links may move rearwardly independently of the sections 89 thereof. Therefore, in the case of a head on collision with an obstruction, the bumper 80 will be moved rearwardly and, through the rod 77, will remove the block 76 from between the contact spring 75" and break the driving circuit of the vehicle. At the same time, theelectro-magnet 72 will be denergized, and the brake shoe 67 applied to the drum 66 by .means of the spring 71 thereby to in stantly stop the progress of the vehicle.

I have employed the foregoing embodiments as illustrative of the principles-of my invention, and do not limit myself to the structural details thereof further than is required by the terms of the following claims, and is rendered necessary by the state of the prior art.

Havin what I c aim isr-- 1. The combination witha vehicle,'of a bumper-located beyond andswingably connected to one end of the vehicle, a spring for maintaining the bumper in. normal position with respect to the vehicle, and operative connections between the bumper and the steering gear of the vehicle;

2. TllGCOIfllJlIlRi-IOD with a. vehlcle, ofa

qhmp'or located beyond and swingably connected to one end or" the vehicle, a spring for maintainingthe' bumper in normal position with respect to the vehicle, means of adjustment for obtaining and. retaining such normal position, and adjustable operative connections between the bumper and the steering gear of the vehicle.

3. The coinbi tion with a vehicle, of a bumper located eyond one end of the V0- hicle, a spring connecting the bumper to the vehicle whereby the bumper may move to ward and from the vehicle and oscillate with respect thereto, means of adjustment between the spring and bumper so that the angular relation of the bumper to the vehicle may be altered. and adjustable connections between the bumper and the steer ing gear of the vehicle. H l

4. The combination with a vehicle, of a bumper located beyond one end of the vehide, a spring yicldingly connecting the bumper to the vehicle whereby the bumper may move toward and from the vehicle and oscillate with respectthereto. means 0!- adjustment between the spring and buinper Y arranged for attachment to the forward ends thus described my invention,

vehicle frame.

so that the angular relation of the bumper to the vehicle may be altered, adjustable connections between. the bumper and .the steering gear-of the vehicle, and stops for limiting the movement of the bumper.

5. 'T he con'ibination with a vehicle of the class described, of a pair of bracketsthat are arranged for attachment to. the forward end of the vehicle frame, a semielliptic spring having one of its ends attached to each of the brackets, a bumper extending across'the front ofthe vehicle and having its central portions connected to said spring, means for adjusting the angle between the spring and bumper, and an adjustable link connecting one end of the bumper with, one of the steering knuckles of the vehicle. I

6. The combination with a vehicle of the class described, of a pair of brackets that are R5 of the vehicle frame, a semi-elliptic spring having one of its ends attached to ear-h or .the brackets, a bumper extending-across the front of the vehicle and having its central portions connected to said spring, means for adjusting the angle between the spring and bumper, an adjustable link connecting one end of the bumper with one of the steering knuckles of the vehicle, and stops carried by the aforesaid brackets for, limiting the Q5 movement of the bumper with respect to the 7. The combination witha vehicle of the class described, of a pair of brackets that are arranged for attachment to the forward we end. of the vehicle frame, a semi-elliptic spring having one of its ends'attached to cash of the brackets, a bumper extending across the front of the vehicle and having Y its central ortions connected to said spring, 108 and an ad ustable link connecting one end of the bumper" with one of the steering knuckles of the vehicle.

8. The combination with a vehiclev of the class described, of a pair of brackets, that 110 are arranged for attachment to the forward end of the vehicle frame, a sem elliptic spring havin one of its ends attached to eachof the brackets, a bumper extending across the front of the vehicle and having its central portions connected to said spring, and stops carried by the aforesaid brackets for limiting the movement of the bumper.

9. The combination with a vehicle, of a semi-elliptic spring having its ends attached to the vehicle, and a bumper having its central port-ion connected to the corresponding portion of the spring wherefore the bumper prising a bumper located beyond and swing .ably connected to one end ofthe vehicle,

connections between said bumper. and the steering mechanism of the vehicle,. and a.

ma osiiinn.

11. The

BEST AVAILABLE COP mawsie r "0 maintain the bumper and stealing mechanism in 1101-- vehicle, a

iaizmehed to the other,

hhe bump er and gap-rim; being spaoed apart except; where com awed, and means for ad usting the angular raiation between the spring @1161 the alement 11:-

to which its central pol-ti .111 testnnony whereof,

on is attached.

I hgremrto afiix my signature in the presence of two wit DESSBS.

Witnesses:

HUGH B. MCGILL, BRENNAN B. WEST.

LEE S.

CHADWIGK. 

